o the
parlor of his mother's cottage and sank down upon the ancient plush
sofa. His eyes ached, and the back of his head and neck, where the
fire had singed him, were throbbing painfully.

There was apparently no one at home.

Even little Josie, the orphan that helped his mother, seemed to have
been drawn out into the road by the excitement of the night, and the
house, except for a single lamp burning on the table, was in
darkness.

He thought of going up-stairs to bed, but remembered that his mother
was not in, and decided he would rest a little while and then go out
and find her. Suddenly it seemed very luxurious and grateful to be
able to stretch at full length after so much labor, and within a few
minutes this sense of luxury had become a pleasant oblivion.

Voices and a bright light woke him up. Dazed and alarmed, he struggled
to a sitting posture, but a gently firm hand pushed him down again
and he heard his mother's voice.

"Lay down again, Code," she said. "You must be pretty well beat out
with all you've done to-night. We've just got some friends for the
night. Poor boy, let me see your burns!"

Schofield, who had guided schooners for years through the gales and
shoals of the Bay of Fundy without a qualm, became red and ashamed at
his mother's babying. Rubbing his sleepy eyes, he sat up again
determinedly and made an effort to greet the company who, he knew, had
come into the room with his mother.

Across the room, near the old melodeon, sat Nellie Tanner, holding
little Bige and smiling wanly at him. The other two children leaned
against her, asleep on either side.

"Don't get up, Code," she said. "You've earned your rest more than any
man in Freekirk Head to-night. I'm afraid, though, we're going to make
more trouble for you. Ma Schofield wouldn't let me go anywhere else
but here till the _Rosan_ gets back from St. John's.

"Oh, I hate to think of their coming! They'll sail around Flag Point
and look for the kiddies waving in front of the house. And they won't
even see any house; but, thanks to you, Code, they'll see the
kiddies."

He knew by the tense, strained tone of her voice that she was very
near the breaking-point, and his whole being yearned to comfort her
and try to make her happy.

Cursing himself for a lazy dolt, he sprang up and walked over toward
her.

"Now, you just let me handle this, Nellie," he said, "and we'll soon
have Tommie and Mary and Bige all curled up on that sofa lik